MUCounseling - 2.Kahneman

Reference
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

A German study, asked subjects "How happy are you these days?" and then "How many dates did you have in the last month?" In this scenario, subjects reported on life satisfaction without considering the progress of their love life (as cited in Kahneman, 2011, p. 101).
The same study reversed the questions. When subjects first considered their dating life, the resulting mood influenced their reported life satisfaction. Those who had fewer dates used this as an "affect heuristic" to judge their level of happiness (Kahneman, 2011, p. 103). Reminded of the “rejection” and “loneliness” they faced in the last month, subjects with fewer dates rated their life satisfaction lower (p. 102).
The "salience" of marriage boosts levels of life satisfaction (Kahneman, 2011, p. 400).
Daniel Kahneman (2011) developed a new technique to measure wellbeing called "Day Reconstruction Method" (p. 392). Subjects reported on many "positive feelings, including love, joy, engagement, hope, amusement...[and]...[n]egative emotions..., including anger, shame, depression, and loneliness" (p. 392-393). Using this method, subjects recalled the events and emotions of the previous day. "...[T]here was...no difference in experienced wellbeing between women who lived with a mate and women who did not" (Kahneman, 2011, p. 400).
The difference between cohabiting and noncohabitating women were the types of activities that induced positive and negative emotions. "Women who have a mate spend less time alone, but also much less time with friends" (Kahneman, 2011, p. 400). Kahneman’s (2011) research showed the importance of “spending time with people you love and who love you” (p. 395).
Expectations can also influence one's life satisfaction. According to a study from 1995-1997, subjects who met their financial goals were more satisfied than those who did not (as cited in Kahneman, 2011, p. 401). Therefore, what people "want" in life could potentially factor into their sense of satisfaction (Kahneman, 2011, p. 402). One must consider the idealized self as well as the actual self when measuring wellbeing (Kahneman, 2011, p. 402).